Potato Gnocchi

This is a basic potato gnocchi that can be topped with almost any sauce. Making Gnocchi is really much easier than most people would imagine, and it is always amazing to me that something created with a few simple ingredients can taste so good!

The trick to gnocchi is to not over knead the dough, and to use only as much flour as is needed to create a soft, workable dough. Knead your gnocchi dough only as long as it takes for the ingredients to come together into a smooth dough. The longer you knead, the more flour you will use, resulting in a heavier gnocchi.

It is a good idea if you are new to gnocchi making to test your gnocchi before you prepare the whole batch. Drop a couple of gnocchi into boiling water and remove as soon as they come to the surface. If they fall apart, knead in a little more flour. If they hold up well, continue cutting the rest of your gnocchi.

To cook gnocchi, always use a large pot of boiling, salted water, and remove them as soon as they float to the surface. If you overcook gnocchi they will turn to mush. Gnocchi don’t keep well at room temperature; so if you are not cooking them right away, place them on a lightly floured baking sheet in the refrigerator. I would not keep any type in the refrigerator longer than a few hours. You can precook gnocchi made with potatoes and reheat by dropping back into boiling water. Generally gnocchi don’t freeze well unless they have a good deal of flour added. Since you can prepare them so quickly, it is easier to make them fresh each time.

I find that baking my potatoes instead of boiling them adds a lot of flavor to the gnocchi and keeps them dry which reduces the amount of flour needed. I also use a fine mesh potato ricer which creates a more delicate textured gnocchi.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2011

Potato Gnocchi

Yield:Serves 6

Prep Time:1 hr

Cook Time:5 mins

I find that baking my potatoes instead of boiling them adds a lot of flavor to the gnocchi and keeps them dry which reduces the amount of flour needed which keeps the gnocchi light.